Bagisu urged to change bad culture
Dec 22, 2009
THE Bagisu must change their cultural practices and attitude towards women in order to promote girl-child education in the region, Prof. Dani Nabudere, a renowned scholar, has advised.
By Daniel Edyegu
THE Bagisu must change their cultural practices and attitude towards women in order to promote girl-child education in the region, Prof. Dani Nabudere, a renowned scholar, has advised.
Nabudere explained that some Bagisu traditional practices oppress women and hold them in low esteem, which hampers the education of girls and slows development.
“The neglect of girls in Bugisu is not by accident but embedded in our decadent culture. We need to change and reform our culture,†he stressed.
Nabudere was speaking on Friday at Mt. Elgon Hotel during a fundraising dinner held to launch the Bakhaana BaMasaba Girls’ Education Project under the Elgon Education Foundation.
He noted that even with modernisation, the level of poverty among Bagisu women was still high. He argued that gender inequality had led to poverty and poor enforcement of the law as crime was compounded by the parents.
“It’s no surprise that whenever a Mugisu girl is defiled, the parents get excited and opt for out-of-court negotiations,†he said.
Nabudere added that the project gives the Bagisu an opportunity to revisit their cultural policy on the education of girls.
“Education is not only possible by taking our children to school but improving our families. The way we treat our wives is a reflection of how we treat our daughters, which heightens the oppression of our women. We must stop it,†he explained.
Prof. Timothy Wangusa, the senior presidential adviser on literary affairs said the project would sponsor 10 girls in Bugisu.
THE Bagisu must change their cultural practices and attitude towards women in order to promote girl-child education in the region, Prof. Dani Nabudere, a renowned scholar, has advised.
Nabudere explained that some Bagisu traditional practices oppress women and hold them in low esteem, which hampers the education of girls and slows development.
“The neglect of girls in Bugisu is not by accident but embedded in our decadent culture. We need to change and reform our culture,†he stressed.
Nabudere was speaking on Friday at Mt. Elgon Hotel during a fundraising dinner held to launch the Bakhaana BaMasaba Girls’ Education Project under the Elgon Education Foundation.
He noted that even with modernisation, the level of poverty among Bagisu women was still high. He argued that gender inequality had led to poverty and poor enforcement of the law as crime was compounded by the parents.
“It’s no surprise that whenever a Mugisu girl is defiled, the parents get excited and opt for out-of-court negotiations,†he said.
Nabudere added that the project gives the Bagisu an opportunity to revisit their cultural policy on the education of girls.
“Education is not only possible by taking our children to school but improving our families. The way we treat our wives is a reflection of how we treat our daughters, which heightens the oppression of our women. We must stop it,†he explained.
Prof. Timothy Wangusa, the senior presidential adviser on literary affairs said the project would sponsor 10 girls in Bugisu.